Media Advisory - AMI launches 2014 Scholarship Program

TORONTO, March 25, 2014 /CNW/ - Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today that it will launch its 2014 Scholarship Program on Wednesday, April 2. Entering its third season, the AMI Scholarship Program reaffirms the organization's continuing mission to improve, increase and promote media accessibility for all Canadians.

The program awards two $5,000 scholarships per year to qualifying individuals, one of which is reserved for a student with a permanent disability.

"We launched the AMI Scholarship Program in 2012 to help raise awareness of the numerous challenges that millions of Canadians face accessing media on a daily basis," explains Peter Burke, AMI Vice-President of Marketing and Communications. "We were pleased to receive more than 1,200 submissions last year and hope that this program continues to grow in 2014."

Eligible students will be asked, in 500 words or less, to compose an essay based on the following statement:

Television can be a frustrating medium of entertainment for someone who is blind or low vision. TV remotes, set top boxes and programming are virtually inaccessible to members of this community. Imagine you are writing a letter to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). What would you recommend to the commission to make television more accessible and enjoyable for a person who is blind?

The application deadline for this year's program is Wednesday, May 28 at 3 pm ET.

For further information and eligibility requirements, visit www.ami.ca/scholarship.

About Accessible Media Inc. 
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is a not-for-profit multimedia organization operating two broadcast services: AMI-audio and AMI-tv, and a website (AMI.ca). A third broadcast service, AMI Français, will launch in early 2015. Serving more than five million Canadians who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, hard of hearing, mobility or print restricted, AMI's mission is to make accessible media for all Canadians.

SOURCE: Accessible Media Inc. (AMI)

Janis Davidson Pressick, Communications Manager
800-567-6755 ext. 0971, [email protected]

Taylor Turner, Communications Coordinator                                
800-567-6755 ext. 0977, [email protected]